Pirates of the Caribbean: A Pirate's Life for Me
by Anamaria Sparrow
Summary: Like Adventure? Romance? Shiny Things? Well, you came to the right place. Our heroes strike back in this brand new story. Secrets unfold, humor strikes and real love comes by Captain Jack Sparrow.
1. Memories

Pirates of the Caribbean:  
A Pirate's Life for Me  
  
Chapter 1: Memories  
  
The sunset appeared as two figurines were at the top of a cliff, and those two were William Turner and Elizabeth Swann, who found where their hearts truly lies. Further on, a rope came down to a pirate swimming in the sea, then he swung and landed on the deck of the legendary ship; the Black Pearl. "Captain Sparrow, the Black Pearl is yours." A female voice said, then Anna Maria came with the captain's coat and hat and put them on him.  
  
Anna Maria woke up in her small room aboard the Black Pearl, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Why did I give him the wheel...I barely touch it now...oh well, time to get up." She said, sitting up then put on her hat. But it was a bigger hat, since she became first mate of the Pearl. Already dressed, she headed out her room and to the kitchen. "Good mornin', Anamaria." A woman already there said, a kind smile on her face. A small terrier was laid in his corner, chewing on a leftover steak. "Good mornin' Jasmine, hey there Torrin boy!" Anna Maria said, kneeling down beside the pup to pat him. The canine barked happily, wagging his tail and licked her cheek. "Where be Jack, mate?" She asked, looking up at Jasmine, who was putting on a dirty white apron on. "He probably is on deck near the wheel, or in the rum chamber. Either there or in his room...he could be still asleep. Tell him breakfast will be ready soon." Jasmine answered, then Anna Maria nodded and left.  
  
"Best look in his room first..." She muttered, opening the door of Jack's room and entered. The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow was there, laid on the bed on his stomach. An arm out of the covers, a bottle of rum in his hand, he was fast asleep. Anna Maria shook her head, then jumped on the bed and smacked his back. "Come on, get up you whelp!" She said, Jack groaning. She rolled her eyes then reached out to get the rum bottle, but when she was pulling it out of Jack's grasp slowly, he sat up and stretched his arms. "Never wake up a sleeping pirate, it's bad luck, bonnie lass." Jack said, taking his hat and putting it on. "Breakfast is ready, besides yeh have to captain the ship." Anna Maria answered simply, then stood up and left to the lower deck.  
  
The rest of the crew was already there, including Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Cotton and his faithful parrot. Jasmine entered with a platter full of food, putting it down on the table. It was filled with loafs of bread, apples, cereal, eggs and bacon. The captain and the first mate, though, had a better- enriched breakfast, composed of good pancakes and waffles. Crates of rum were stacked beside the table, to satisfy any pirate's thirst. Anna Maria smiled at her crew and sat down, followed by Jack. Jasmine took a seat beside Mr. Cotton and started to argue with his parrot, which kept squawking non-sense. "Settle down! Now, we have a big day ahead of us, and since we worked hard these passed months...cause of that fatal mistake to make the Pearl berth in the docks near the East India Company...so, we're all going to the Rum Runner's Island to stack some more rum aboard and we head to Tortuga!" Captain Jack Sparrow said, the crew cheering of pleasure to finally go back to Tortuga, where they can finally relax.  
  
No man could ever feel unwanted at that place, which made it so popular in the eyes of Pirates. Last time they made a stop there, it was when Jack came with Will to get a crew from Mr. Gibbs, a year and four months ago. "Enough room in the rum chamber to put the rum, Anna Maria, love, or we'll have to stack 'em here?" He asked. "Well, if we take out all those cages full of bones we could have enough room...good thing we have Torrin boy here to kill those pesky rats, eh boy?" Anna Maria answered, scratching Torrin's head when he arrived to beg for some food from the table.  
  
During that time, in Port Royal, Will Turner was knocking at the door of the Swann Mansion, waiting to get answered. "Good morning Mr. Turner, you may come in." Genevieve McNab, the housemaid, said. "Thank you, Miss." William said, entering the manor and closed the door behind him. He waited there, a box in hand, as the maid left to inform Governor Swann of his presence. "Yes, Mr. Turner?" The governor asked, entering the room. "Good evening sir, I have brought your request." He said politely, opening the box to show him a magnificent sword. The handle was swirled of gold and silver, perfectly balanced with the blade yet pretty light for the user. "Very good work, you worked hard on this, didn't you, Mr. Turner?" Governor Swann asked, looking up at him. "Yes sir, a blacksmith always works hard on each sword to be sure our work is well done." Will answered, closing the box and putting it down on the table. "Very good, you may now go back. Have a nice day. Tell my dear Elizabeth that I sent this for her." The governor said, giving a large yet light box as the maid came back in to open the door. "Good day, sir. And I surely will." William answered, taking the box before leaving.  
  
He didn't leave by the gates around the Swann Mansion though, but walked on his right, leading to a big manor just beside. Known as the Turner Mansion, Elizabeth and Will were living there, often visited by Governor Swann's servants to clean the house, cook, etcetera. "Elizabeth?" Will called; walking around the house after one of the servants closed the door. "I'm up here!" Elizabeth called back from upstairs, and then came down to see him. "Your father told me to give you this." Will said with a smile, handing her the package. Elizabeth opened it even though she had quite an idea of what it could contain, and rolled her eyes when it was indeed: a dress straight from London. It was light green, the corset being of a darker green.  
  
"Marvellous, another gown...I'll have to learn how to not breathe." Elizabeth said with a sight, looking down at her diamond ring on her finger. "I loved my wedding dress though, I could breathe in that one." She said with a smile. "You were beautiful in it...like you always are." Will said, kissing her cheek. "Yes...I wish Jack Sparrow or Anna Maria came to the wedding reception though...I don't blame them, they're the most wanted people in Port Royal." Elizabeth replied. "Yes, I miss them too...our life isn't that adventurous since our journey on the Pearl ended, I wonder what they're doing now..." Will said, his voice trailing off.  
  
Anna Maria went out of the tavern quickly, her arms folded, followed by a waltzing Captain Jack Sparrow. "What'd I do?!" He said, a bottle of rum swinging in his hand. "What did yeh do? Yeh walk into a tavern, get drunk, pretending to fancy any prostitute yeh see ta have a good night in bed, and then yeh ask me what DID yeh do?" Anna Maria answered as she kept walking at the same quick pace. "What, we're at Tortuga, aren't we? The place where no man feels unwanted?" He asked, more stated to her. "Yes, aren't we at Tortuga? The place where all women seem to want to have their pride and dignity ruined by men? Oh yeh, I think we're there. How joyful. Now if yeh excuse meh, I'm going back on thy Pearl." Anna Maria said briskly, poking her finger on his chest before turning away to leave...until Jack's arm was blocking her way.  
  
"Move away." She said, looking away. "Can't do that, love. Come on, there must be some valuable reason you're like this." Jack replied, looking at her. "Please move?" Anna Maria asked with a sigh. "Nope. Now tell me, surely you're not like this 'cause I did that, are you?" He said simply. "I'm tired, I hate this place and I didn't even want to go here. But it's one opinion against 23, eh? Now please will you move?" She answered, shaking her head. "Alright then, if you hate it that much I'll tell the crew to climb back aboard once they are sober enough to walk, then we'll sail to the destination of your choice. Where will it be?" He asked, moving his arm away to let her pass. 


	2. Unforeseen Visit

Chapter 2: Unforeseen Visit  
  
William was in the Blacksmith Shoppe he now owned for a year, now that Mr. Brown passed away. Indeed, the old owner of the shop got ran over by a carriage, his heart stopping its usual beat instantly. Will was working on a new sword a lord named Diego Santiago ordered. Each sword he put a respectful amount and time of work in it, reaching his capability of perfection. A knock could be heard at the door, then a feminine silhouette entered. It was no other than Elizabeth, wanting to see her husband at work instead of staying home watching the servants clean the mansion. Life has been rather dull for the two since their grand 'adventure' on the Pearl ended. "Elizabeth! What a pleasant surprise, if I knew you were coming I would clean up." Will said, putting down his work. He stacked a few swords and put on his large feathered hat, casting a grin at his wife.  
  
"You don't need to clean up just for me, this is your work after all." Elizabeth said, lifting her dress slightly so she wouldn't step on it as she walked to him. A clang could be heard from the streets, forcing William and Elizabeth to run to the window to see what was going on. Next thing they knew, they saw a flock of Red Coats, also known as 'guards', pointing their weapons at two figures they could not rightfully see.  
  
"Any trouble done here, gentlemen?" Elizabeth asked rather coldly, glancing at the fleet angrily; she did not quite fancy them, nor liked calling them 'gentlemen' since they arrested any pirate they saw. And from Mrs. Turner's experience in piracy, she saw that some pirates were good, so they should not judge them too quickly. "Yes indeed, these pirates were trying to rob the Faithful Bride then sail off under our very noses." One of the guards answered. "But...we didn't even enter yet! We were just goin' for a drink too..." A female voice said, then William spotted who the two people were. "Anna Maria? Jack?" He said in a surprised tone, pushing some guards to the side to come and see them.  
  
"Will! Still an eunuch, I hope?" Jack said jokingly, patting his back in a friendly way. Will gave a confused look, then shook his head and looked at the guards. "Let them go, they won't do any harm." He said clearly. "And how are you sure of that, Mr. Turner?" He asked, clapping Anna Maria first into irons. "What the...let me go!" She said, though some guards restrained her from strangling the man. They then dragged her towards the prison. "Wait...you can't!" Elizabeth said, running after them. "What's that word again? Puhluley, puhlulehvoos, parleli, parsmi, pasley, parle, parle..." Anna Maria said, having no intention in going to get locked up today. "Parler?" One of the guards grasping her arm asked. "That's the one! Thank yeh!" She said with a smirk. "Ugh...let's bring her to the Commodore, then." He replied, dragging her to the left.  
  
"The...the Commodore? But...that's death straight away!" She protested. "You evoked the rights of Parler, which means you have to suffer the consequences. Even if that does mean having an appointment to the gallows." The guard replied, smirking at his turn. William, Elizabeth and Captain Sparrow were running behind, luckily they forgot all about Jack...or wasn't too brave enough to try and capture him. "Not if I can stop it..." Anna Maria mumbled, then had an idea. She nudged the guards' shoulders, and then threw herself on the sidewalk. She then hoisted herself up, before running into the opposite direction, towards Jack. "Get her!! Shoot her! Anything!!!" The guard said, then they all took out their guns and started shooting her, but kept missing the target. She looked behind, and then pathetically bumped into Sparrow, making them both fall. The guards caught up with them, putting handcuffs on Jack as well. "Elizabeth! No..." William whispered when Elizabeth tried to defend them, holding her hand. "We'll go set them free later, when the navy leaves." He whispered in her ear, and then she sighed and nodded approvingly.  
  
Next thing they knew, Jack and Anna Maria were put into different cells, one next to the other. "Alright, I have a deal for you, mate. Let us out and I give you ten thousand Aztec gold coins. What says you to that?" Jack said with a quirky grin, approaching the door of his cell. The guard looked interested, but when he remembered his job, he shook his head. "Was worth a try." Jack said, flopping on the ground. He put his feet up onto a wooden box, tipping his hat over his eyes and folded his arm; if he had to spend days or even years in a cell, why not be comfortable? Anna Maria didn't have the same point of view, though. "Let me out, I'm just a poor young woman." She said sadly, though the guard shook his head. She then glared at him angrily, before sitting down and screaming as loud and high-pinched that she could; maybe if he were on the border of being deaf, he'd let them out. "Nice try, love, but it won't work." Jack said after putting his hand over his mouth to keep her from screaming.  
  
"Look here lad, this is all just a misunderstanding. We're married, see, and we wanted to get a simple drink at the Faithful Bride." He said, Anna Maria quirking an eyebrow of surprised; he lied by actually saying they were married. "Oh really? Well, there's no proof of that. Find me some valuable proof that you're married to each other and you'll get out of this prison." He said, folding his arms. "Err...my wedding ring!" Anna Maria said, showing him a ring that she stole from a lady before getting caught. Jack quirked an eyebrow as well, surprised that Anna Maria luckily had a ring. "Could be married to someone else, or stolen it." He answered simply, smirking at the outraged expression that sprung on her face.  
  
"Now if you excuse me, I have to feed our new dog." He said, getting up to feed the new pup; he was smaller than the old one, but he looked younger and more...alert. He was laid on the floor beside his dish, keys in his jaws. "Jack! Come here..." Anna Maria whispered quickly, having an idea of how to get out; it was pathetic, yet very brave and might just work. Jack, looking quite startled, scooted to Anna Maria's cell. Anna Maria tried passing her head through the bars, and the process was quite successful. But the rest of the body didn't pass. "Alright, head through these bars is all I need...if yeh talk about this ta anyone or speak of it again..." She started in a whisper, though the guard was back on his bench. So, Anna Maria grabbed Jack's head and pulled it closer, kissing his lips.  
  
"What are you doing?" The guard asked, his jaw dropping. "What, I'm not allowed to kiss my own husband now? Unless you think I kiss everyone like a prostitute, which I clearly am not...you have to let us go." She replied, trying to hide her look of disgust. And she was right. So the guard stood up and took the keys from the dog, approaching the cell just when Will arrived and smacked the man on his back with a bench. "About time yeh came ta save us! Bloody..." Anna Maria said, wiping her lips. Jack just sat there, under shock, his lips puckered from the sudden kiss. "Get up you!" She said when Will took the keys and unlocked both doors, then Jack waltzed up, still shocked while he left the prison behind the two.  
  
Elizabeth was in front of the prison door, checking if the fleet was coming. "Why am I always the one with the less...adventurous...job?" Elizabeth asked herself out loud, tapping her foot as she waited then jumped when Will, Jack and Anna Maria went out. "Just kill me now and stop lookin' at me like that!" Anna Maria finally burst out, looking at Jack. "Wait a second love, yeh saved our necks back there. Can't kill yeh for that. Besides, you're my First Mate." Jack said, Will and Elizabeth mildly confused but kept silent. Before anyone could say another single word, a stray Navy man fired his gun from the roof of a small building, the bullet coming in contact with Jack's arm crimson red blood starting to seep through from his wound onto his shirtsleeve. "Scoundrel!" he cursed and fired a shot from his own gun at the Navy man who jumped off the roof and scampered. Sparrow placed his right hand on his wounded left shoulder, trying to stop it from bleeding more. He staggered over to some barrels and leant against them to keep him standing. A lot of alcohol and blood loss is never a good mixture. Things were starting to get a little hazy.  
  
Anna Maria swirled around to see Jack, running closer to him with her ironed wrists when she saw he was bleeding and sliding up the sleeve of his shirt to see the injury. She then ripped a piece of her own shirt to wrap it around his arm as temporal bandage until they can get better help. "Better get back on the Pearl and have that fixed. Elizabeth, Will, if yeh excuse us...yeh better get back to your mansion before anything else happens. Expect a visit soon enough." She said. The Turners looked like they wanted to help in anyway they could, but they finally nodded and left off. "Really bad eggs" he muttered to himself and shook his head trying to stable himself "Alrigh' love. Lets get back to the Pearl then. I'll be right in a little while and one of the lads will be able to cut those chains for ya." With that he straightened up and slowly started to make his way back to the Pearl his head still hazy. Passing out sounded like a good plan to him but he didn't want Anna Maria to think him of being weak.  
  
Anna Maria shook his head, walking beside him like if she expected him to pass out at any moment. "Yes yeh'll be right then yeh go ta sleep. Getting drunk then get shot..." She said, and then waved her hands in different directions as if she wanted the handcuffs off. "Bloody..." She murmured, calming down.  
  
After thirty minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the safely hidden Black Pearl. Jack walked onto the deck. He was holding his wounded arm again, although the strip of fabric helped stop most of the bleeding, it still hurt. He leant against the railing and looked to Anna Maria and her chains "Mr Cotton should have something to cut those chains. Now if you'll excuse me love" with a loud thud he had suddenly dropped to the deck, out cold. 


	3. Untold Secrets

Chapter 3: Untold Secrets  
  
Anna Maria shook her head then went to see Mr. Cotton to have her chains off. He stuck out his cut tongue at her, and then took out a saw. "Hoist the sails!" The parrot on his shoulder squawked, Mr. Gibbs appearing. "We fear that means: Stand still." He said. Anna Maria wrinkled her nose of disgust; Mr. Cotton wasn't the most interesting person to see. He broke her chains, taking off the handcuffs and threw them overboard.  
  
"Thank yeh, now for Jack..." She said, walking to him and kneeled beside him. She carefully took out the bullet with some small pair of grips. When she was done, she wrapped some real bandages this time around the wound. Jack didn't move, nor did he regain consciousness while she was tending to him. He did have a lot of rum before being shot and the loss of blood topped the cap. He would be out for a while. Anna Maria sighed, and then Mr. Gibbs picked up Jack and carried him to his room, dropping him on his bed before leaving the room. Anna Maria entered, closing the door beside him. She had a goblet of water and a cloth. She placed the items on a nearby table before sitting beside him, then dipped the cloth in the water and put it on his forehead.  
  
He grumbled slightly the cool water starting to have some affect on him. He woke up slowly seeing Anna Maria next to him and closed his eyes again his vision still hazy "What happened? Last time I checked, I was on the deck and then the lights went out" He said. "Yeh got drunk in the Faithful Bride, swung out just when those Red Coats were going ta put meh and jail, shot one of them then got shot on the arm...I brought yeh back to the Pearl, Mr. Cotton got those handcuffs off of me and I took that bullet out and there yeh are in your bed." She answered, taking away the cloth to put more water then put it back on his forehead. "My turn to be the sober one and take care of yeh this time, eh?" She finished.  
  
Jack flinched slightly again at the coldness of the cloth "Aye, sounds like we had a lot of fun. I don't mind it this way love, it's kind of nice. Anyways, what were you doing near the Faithful Bride?" He asked with a smirk. "Was lookin' for yeh...figured yeh'd be in a tavern. So I went to search for the nearest tavern and spotted the Faithful Bride. Red Coats were so proud of seeing a pirate and having the opportune moment to capture a pirate they clapped me immediately into irons." Anna Maria answered, smiling weakly as she wiped the water that slid on the side of his face. "Not too cold, is it now?" She asked, taking the cloth to twist it over the goblet to take out a little water.  
  
Jack slowly sat up, propping himself with his pillow "The water's better now. Why were you lookin for me?" He was curious as to why she was looking but he was more just trying to keep some form of civilized conversation going. She looked down at the bed after putting down the cloth on the table, trying to look like she was thinking about it but actually wanted to waste some time before answering. "I don't know...was bored on the Pearl lookin' at Mr. Cotton sticking out his cut tongue at me, really disgusting...so I left off and started looking for yeh for no...Particular reason." She said, but only part of it was true; she had a reason of why she left off to find him, but didn't want anyone to know. The captain laughed slightly and the thought of Mr Cotton sticking out what remained of his tongue "Aye, that makes sense." he kicked off the blankets and stood up a little too quickly, he sat back down until the room stopped spinning "Really must get back to work." He said.  
  
"Eh, yeh should really stay on your bed. Some bullet yeh got there...ship isn't even off yet so there's not much ta do before it leaves off." Anna Maria replied, looking around Jack's room for something until she finally found it on the drawer. "Mind if I take some of your eyeliner? I barely got any left." She said. Jack slowly got up and wandered over to his desk, grabbing some rolled up parchment and then went back to the bed. Throwing the rolls onto the bed and sat back down, starting to unravel the rolls "Eh love? Me eyeliner? Should be more in the top draw but you can 'ave that one." He replied. "Thank yeh, Jack." Anna Maria said, casting a slight smile at him before looking in the top draw; indeed there were other eyeliners. She closed it and took the one she saw in the first place, and then headed to the nearest mirror. "Odd it is how we can actually have civilised conversations without me smacking yeh." She said while putting on some eyeliner, before turning back to him. "It's quite nice, actually." She added.  
  
In the whole process of Anna Maria putting on the eye liner, Jack had covered the whole bed and nearly himself with parchment and was well into reading the maps and writing on each one "Indeed love, starting to miss gettin' hit though." he muttered, not really paying attention to what he was saying. "Yeh startin' ta miss gettin' hit?" Anna Maria repeated, a surprised expression on her face. She put the eyeliner in her pocket; she moved some rolls of parchment and maps to sit on the bed beside Jack. "Can arrange that if yeh want, if yeh have a reason of why yeh miss it." She said, taking some maps to look at them. "Where are we headin' to anyway?" She asked. Captain Sparrow looked up from the parchment a little startled at what he had said about missing being hit "What? Uh...no, it's alrigh' love. I don't miss it that much. And where we're headin? First to Tortuga, after that? 'ave no idea, that's what I'm tryin' to figure out now. Any ideas?" He asked.  
  
Anna Maria groaned quietly when she heard Tortuga; Tortuga, the place where no man could ever feel unwanted...but where women feel like they're loosing all dignity. Only reason she was there back then was because she saw Captain Sparrow and Will in the horizon and wanted her ship back. Thinking of her ship...she still hasn't got it back yet, but she didn't seem to care that much anymore since Jack promoted her to First Mate. "Don't know...Singapore...Hawaii..." She started. "...Africa..." She said quietly, but part of her inside didn't want her to go to Africa. Jack grabbed some writing coal and scribbled something on a smaller map of his "Africa eh? And what might there be at Africa then. As well as Singapore and Hawaii." "Did I say Africa? I meant umm...China, that's it. Nice Asiatic place, great fireworks festival." Anna Maria said, a little quicker than usual. "As for Singapore and Hawaii...Singapore is good, Hawaii...nice beach, great clear blue waters." She said, looking at other maps. "And it isn't too far from here...except for China." She added. He stuck his tongue out at the idea of beaches and fire works. They all sounded rather dull to him "Come on love, where's your adventure side gone? If you want to sit on the beach, I can leave you at Rum Runners Isle for a week or so." He said, looking up at the ceiling blankly.  
  
"Nah, Rum Runner's Island's out of rum and deserted. Africa would have adventure, but it's not safe to go...something might happen like last time." Anna Maria said, her voice trailing off and looked away for a moment before looking down at the map. Jack raised a brow, starting to like the idea of Africa even more. Especially as it seemed to have some sort of past "Last time love? I don't remember Africa, what happened?"  
  
Anna Maria sighed, looking away again; she saw it coming, who wouldn't? If she said that to anyone, they would ask what happened. She looked at Jack, letting the maps fall down on the bed. "Well, like yeh probably know, the Spanish and South America agrees with slavery, and the black race seem to be stronger and faster then any others, so they take people from Africa away into a boat, all chained up, with no food and they throw overboard the ones who look sick to lighten the boat. Bring them to a country that would auction for them, and then make big money selling human beings like merchandise. Well...me and my family got caught, they threw overboard my father if I listen to rumours and my mother just...threw herself overboard since she didn't want to live it anymore. When we got to the Caribbean by mistake, I escaped and found yeh, became a pirate, and then yeh stole my boat and sailed off. Luckily I got to Tortuga and found yeh again, and here we are. Now yeh tell me how pathetic the story was." She said, folding her arms and looked down at the bed.  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow mentally kicked himself, he knew about the slavery so how could he have forgotten about it that easily "Oh, I'm sorry love. I didn't think, well Africa is definitely off the list. That stuff's still goin' on, don't want you gettin caught up in it again." He said in an apologizing tone. His First Mate nodded her head slightly before turning on the side, wiping some tears that tried to escape her eyes; she didn't want to cry on Jack's shoulder, he would probably kill her, nor she didn't want to see her or he would think she has gone soft lately. Jack started to fold the parchment back up, pretending that he hadn't noticed Anna's tears. But he had, he chose to ignore them to give her some dignity. He couldn't help feeling some sympathy for her; he had never been through something as severe as that. Yes he's had a rough life, but nothing as bad as that.  
  
Anna Maria wiped some more tears, but they kept coming; she looked like she either wanted to leave or hide, or talk to someone even if it was about something pathetic, in her opinion, that she had barely no memory of. She then took a deep breath, her tears stopping for a while. She turned back to Jack when she thought she could still keep her dignity, but hid her head on her knees. Why now? Why not when she was in her own room, and Jack not there? She had so many stuff Jack didn't know about, she would feel better if he did know about them, but on the other side she was scared of what might happen; she could get marooned, kicked off the Pearl for being turned into some softy girl, or maybe worst.  
  
The man stood up and put his parchment back in their original place. Before turning back to face the bed, seeing Anna Maria hide herself. He walked over and sat down next to her, placing a comforting arm over her "come on love" he said to her quietly "You'll be right, it's in the past now. You've got a better life here on the ship, and as long as I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, nothing like that will happen to you again, savvy?" There was no harshness in his voice, he knew that this was a good way for her to get it off her chest and there was no way he'd punish her over that. Anna Maria sighed, sitting up straight and laid her hands on her forehead desperately. If she told her all she was feeling before, she wouldn't be like this right now. She wondered how she did keep it locked inside for so many years, that she didn't spill any secrets unexpectedly to Captain Sparrow, who was there with her most of the time. If she told him all from the start, she wouldn't be where she was now. "I can't take it anymore..." She muttered, then took a deep breath; it was now time that she told him everything, then she would feel better, alive or not after what she was about to say.  
  
"I should have told you from the moment I met you, from the moment I became a pirate. Should have told you the story of my past so I wouldn't be so hard on myself when I tell it. And I should of told you...that...that I had a reason I was following you, so that I would be in Tortuga when you came to pick up a crew. I...from the moment I met you...I...I liked you...maybe even loved you...and then you stole my ship and sailed off, so I used that reason so I could follow you and be on the crew to rescue Elizabeth. I followed you to the Caribbean, but I didn't want to follow you no more once you got to Port Royal, in case they would remember my escape from slavery. I followed you back to Tortuga and made sure I'd be with the crew after you talked to Mr. Gibbs. I wanted to be with you, to talk to you if possible, but I didn't want to tell you anything in case of what would happen. I kept telling myself 'don't spill anything out, Anna Maria, you never know what might happen, just stay strict and sober to make sure no one even suspects you, who would love a black female pirate anyway, there's tons of prostitutes in Tortuga for a man to get each night to make sure he's satisfied'. I didn't let it slip to anyone for so much time, not even Torrin, and knowing already he knows since every time you're around me he gets jealous, or he wants to protect me. I should of told you everything from the start, I'm sorry, now do anything you want I just couldn't stand it anymore." Anna Maria said, trying her best to keep herself from crying then hid her face back on her knees, scared of what Jack would do now. But now her conscience was clear, that's all she wanted right now.  
  
Jack Sparrow listened to her words intently; he did have slight feelings for her. But he was bad news when it came to relationships and such. He leant over to his desk again and grabbed a flask of rum, opening it and then handing it to Anna Maria "Here love, this'll calm you a bit." He sighed trying to figure out what to say, "Listen love, I do care for you and aye, I might have had feelings as well. But I'm bad news; you don't want to get messed up with someone like me. I don't want to hurt you, but I know I would. Not intentionally of course but I still would. You're a great lass and the best first mate I've ever had and I love ya for that. But if there's a chance of losin' you, I don't ever want to put that at risk, savvy?" He said softly.  
  
The female pirate listened to what he said, only believing part of it. She quirked an eyebrow when he said he had feelings for her but didn't want to lose her. She sat straight to take the bottle of rum, looking down at it. "Don't you play with my emotions, Jack. I'm no prostitute. Not funny at all." She muttered, and then drank a bit. Jack frowned slightly "I know your no prostitute love, and that's why I don't want to hurt you. You know me, that's one of the reasons why I like Tortuga, because there are prostitutes and there's no risk of anyone getting hurt." He answered. "And that's why I hate Tortuga, it's filled with prostitutes and makes women feel like they lost all dignity. Why would we get hurt just 'cause I love yeh 'neway?" She replied briskly, lying down on the bed. Jack lay down beside her laying his arm over her middle "Because love, I'd be runnin' off with those prostitutes. It's not something a bloke can't do over there. And we can't not go to Tortuga." He said, keeping his calm tone.  
  
Anna Maria moved more to the side to get out of his grip, looking away; part of her wanted to stay in her arms, fault of her feelings, but a stronger side wanted her out. "Of course we can not go to Tortuga, there are other places in the world. Runnin' off with those prostitutes? Then that proves a lot how much yeh love meh Jack, congratulations." She said sarcastically. Sparrow sat up Anna Maria had gotten it all wrong "Whoa love, I think you've caught the wrong end of the stick here. I never said that I loved you, yes I may have said that I cared for you an' I may have said that I loved you for bein' a great lass and a first mate. But that was more in a friendship sort of way." He said rather quickly.  
  
"Alright then, thanks for clearin' all that up. I'll just leave, we both forget what happened here and we're all happy. Well yeh're goin' ta be happy, I'm just goin' ta be my sober self sulking in misery wonderin' what my point of life is." The woman replied, not even looking at him as she stood up and left the door. She stood in front of the door for a moment, searching her pockets then pulled out the eyeliner and put it on his drawer before opening the door. Jack jumped off the bed and raced to the door, shutting it before she had a chance to walk out "What is it you want me to do then love? Tell me. Please, I'm tryin to help you but it's not working." He said desperately. "Oh yeh were a big help, Jack, I got all the stuff I've been locking up inside for years out and if yeh spill it out, who will believe yeh, I just live ta be sober around people. Yeh can't do anything now except killing me, marooning me or let me out of your room so I can try and forget all of this ever happening. If yeh see a forth option, be kind and share it." Anna Maria said, still looking away; she didn't seem to be able to look at Jack anymore.  
  
He stepped away from the door, hands in his pockets. "I'm not going to maroon or kill you for speaking your mind love." He walked back to his bed in defeat, the whole thing had kind of backfired on them "So, leave my room if you want." He finally concluded. Anna Maria looked at Jack slightly before looking at the door, and then left the room. But at the second step she took towards her room, she turned around and glanced at Jack again before getting back in his room, not quite knowing why. "You're not going to speak of this to 'neone...would you?" She asked, taking a sudden interest in watching her feet. Jack had stretched out on the bed again in the process of Anna Maria leaving the room and was now staring up at the blank ceiling "No love, not a soul. No one needs to know about this." He answered.  
  
"Thanks." Anna Maria replied simply, and then left the room again. But once more, she turned her heels around and went back in the room; she couldn't seem to want to leave; now that Jack wasn't trying to stop her. "I'll stay if you want." She said, like if Jack kept insisting for her presence. The man smiled slightly, still looking up at the ceiling. He then patted the empty space of bed next to him "Only if you want to love, this ceiling isn't too entertaining." He said. The woman smiled weakly before closing the door. She then looked around the room slightly before laying on the bed beside Jack, glancing at him. "Do you think I'm annoying?" She asked blankly, taking off her hat and putting it down on the bed table. Captain Sparrow laughed slightly, taking off his hat as well but put it on Anna Maria's head. "Yes love, you're extremely annoying." He was only joking of course, something like that needed to be done to make this depressing mood go away.  
  
"Well, that's good, I like annoying you. Except when...you're nice to me...like this though, no reason to bother you." Anna Maria replied, putting her hat on the drawer before taking off her faded yellow bandana. "I'm a disgrace to the Pearl." She muttered, laying her head back on the pillow...or rather more on Jack's arm. Jack tried moving his arm, but it was well and truly stuck. I'm going to be feeling that in a bit... he thought to himself. "You got that right love, a pure disgrace. You should be proud of yourself. I know I would be." He said with a playful grin. She laughed slightly, looking up at the captain. "Proud of being a disgrace? Well, that's nice...more than a disgrace 'neway; escaped from slavery pirate, annoying girl that you don't want to steal her ship, First Mate of the Black Pearl now...and liking someone she's sure won't get liked back." She said.  
  
Captain Sparrow smiled slightly, patting the girl's head...or tried to; he patted her face instead. "Sounds like you have a great life there love. An' with the likin' someone and sure that they won't like her back, don't count your spend your gold before you've got it. Things may change love, give it time." He answered. Anna Maria smiled weakly, cuddling her head against his arm slightly like a pillow that wasn't yet too comfortable. "Fine, then...anymore rum left?" She asked, looking around to spot a flask laying somewhere in the room. He looked around the room, trying to remember where he hid his flasks. "Try under the bed, I think I hid a bottle or something under there." He hid his rum well since it was rationed between the crew, and knowing them, they'd try to steal his lot once they'd finished with their own.  
  
His First Mate finally left her comfortable position to bend over the bed, her head upside-down as she looked for the nearest bottle of rum. She then spotted two bottles plenty, so she took them and sat back on the bed, her head back on his arm. She handed a flask to Jack before unplugging her own with a sigh. Jack opened his flask and tried to drink out of the flask without spilling it. He looked over to Anna Maria "Could I have my arm back for just one sec love? I need to sit up or this bed'll get more Rum then I do." He said. Anna Maria nodded slowly and sat up straight, leaving his arm so he could drink; she didn't want him to spill some rum on her head. She took her bottle and drank some of its substance, looking at Jack. "So, we're going to leave off to Tortuga? Again?" She asked. 


	4. The Reception Party

Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness! I was too lazy to write up the next chapter...please forgive me...but I did now! I will update it soon, though, just wanted to put it up for my pleading fans to read. Please review! Flames or comments, I want to see what people think I should improve, or what they like.  
  
Chapter 4: The Reception Party  
  
After closing his shop due to an important event, William passed in front of Governor Swann's guards before entering the Turner Mansion. "Elizabeth? I'm home!" He called, taking off his coat; though next thing he knew, he froze when the young man heard a dreadful, painful scream. "Elizabeth!" He repeated worriedly, but gave out a sigh of relief when he saw his wife climbing downstairs gracefully in her new gown, looking perfectly fine; though the scream was now replaced with splashing and incomprehensible yells. "What is that?" He asked, with a rather puzzled expression on his face. "That? Oh, it's..." Mrs. Turner started, but then another woman glided down the staircase; a black, yet beautiful, woman wearing a dark red gown and a hint of makeup on her face.  
  
Will recognized the new comer barely until it hit him. "Anna Maria?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow slightly; it was quite...unusual...to see the female pirate not in her usual baggy and used clothes. "In the flesh! Honestly, Elizabeth, you didn't tell me it was this painful...I go from taking a bath to brushing my hair and putting it up, and to top it off I have to wear this...makeup and...civilian, female, harmless gown! No offence to you." Anna Maria replied angrily, wrapping her arms around her stomach; and the little detail that annoyed her mostly was that Jack wouldn't even suffer in civilian clothing, he would wear his own without any worry.  
  
"It was hard to settle her down, Miss, but we succeeded." The maid said with a sigh, the last person to come down. "Very good, Rebecca. I'm sorry for all the trouble, she isn't quite used to this." Elizabeth smiled, and then felt her husband's soft lips press against the back of her hand. "How nice to see you, Anna Maria. Miss Walkers surely took good care of you...and thankfully you didn't die during the 'dreadful horrifying' process." Will said, the now civilised disguised pirate letting out a sarcastic laughter. "Perfect timing, the guests have arrived." Elizabeth added, the housemaid going straight to the door to open it.  
  
Just moments away the ballroom was full of guests, though the entrance of one single man startled many of the crowd. Captain Jack Sparrow walked through the main entrance of the mansion, refusing point blank to dress up in the snobby clothes of the rich Port Royal people. He was how ever in a clean set of his own clothes, he would give Elizabeth and Will that at least. Jack spotted Norrington approach the Mansion and quickly disappeared into the Kitchen despite some protests from some kitchen hands, seeing a beautiful young woman already there.  
  
Anna Maria froze, looking at the sudden entrance of her captain. She turned around quickly, hoping he didn't recognize her; or if she was lucky, too drunk to recognize her. He spotted her and wandered over to her, not entirely sure if it was his first mate. "Anna Maria? Is that you?" he asked, smirking slightly. He wasn't going to be cruel and laugh at her, since she kept to her word and did what Elizabeth had asked on the invitation: 'Please come in good fashion'. The damsel sighed slightly, looking at the ground; indeed, he spotted her. How couldn't he? She turned around to look at him, pointing a menacing finger at him like if she was going to say something...perhaps not to laugh? But she already told him back on the Pearl, and he gave her his word.  
  
"Yeah...I look...stupid." She said slowly, yet rather quietly. Jack smiled slightly, looking at her up...and down, then quickly back up. "No, love, you don't look stupid. You look...nice" He looked around the kitchen, noticing that no one else was in there anymore "Come on, love, we'd better find Will and Elizabeth." He finished, seeing her smile and nod in response. "Alright, it's their wedding reception after all...but first, could yeh do me a favour? Loosen the corset just a bit, it's bloody killin' me..." She said, wrapping an arm around her stomach. Captain Sparrow's eyes widened; he wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Anna Maria wanted him to loosen her undergarment (basically a corset is an equiv to a bra back then just way more vicious)  
  
"Uh...are you sure about that love?" He asked, feeling quite hot so he took off his hat. "Either that or I pass out, really killin' me...how can people breathe in...in this?!" Anna Maria answered, gasping slightly; it was very hard for her to stand up and talk while wearing something that tight, when she was used to baggy, yet comfortable, pirate clothes. The male pirate walked behind the stunning woman and stared at her back rather puzzled; normally he'd just use his knife to cut the stupid thing, but she only wanted it loosened. He quickly unbuttoned the back of her dress, but he couldn't help but grin at the process as he pulled a few strings of the corset. Buttoning the dress back up, he turned her around so she would face him. "There, love, probably be easier to breath with that now. Please do remind me to take you to Singapore." He said, putting his hat back on his head. 


End file.
